Work on local wind project to start soon

By SHANNA SISSOM | Herald Managing Editor

Published 11:56 am, Saturday, March 23, 2013

Photo: Courtesy Photo

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Wind turbines, similar to those shown in this photo, are expected to change the Hale County landscape as plans are to have 850-900 turbines in the county within five years. Each turbine will cost about $2 million. Early phase construction is expected to begin late this year. less

Wind turbines, similar to those shown in this photo, are expected to change the Hale County landscape as plans are to have 850-900 turbines in the county within five years. Each turbine will cost about $2 ... more

Photo: Courtesy Photo

Work on local wind project to start soon

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While some aspects of construction are expected later this year, plans are to have a total of 850-900 wind turbines operating in Hale County when the final phase is complete five years down the road.

Each of those turbines will cost about $2 million to bring in and put up, said Curtis King, senior vice president of Tri Global Energy.

“Property taxes will go up nicely; royalty and dividend income will mean a huge influx to the area,” King said.

Of about 3,000 people investing what is currently estimated at $27.5 million to $28 million, King said probably 250-300 are local.

One such local investor asked if wind farm development in Hale County can make up for economic loss resulting from the Cargill plant’s idling.

“We won’t replace the head count, but we can probably replace the payroll,” King said, referring to salaries, royalties and property taxes.

The Hale County wind farm is expected to employ 100 people when it reaches the final phase, jobs King referred to as high-paying blue collar occupations. Phase one is expected to be operational sometime in 2014.

“We’re anxious to get something going in Plainview,” the investor, Janice Payne, told King, as he was updating her and her husband Dale on developments in a private meeting at the couple’s home that the Herald was invited to attend.

Payne then asked when to expect construction activity, and King said they are hoping to start this year.

“You’ve got a lot of construction folks coming in,” he said. “You’re looking at building roads. Everything we can, we’ll use local people.”

In the meantime, extensive wind studies are ongoing, and the environmental study hasn’t produced any issues. In some areas of the country, the lesser prairie chicken’s presence is problematic, since the birds won’t roost near tall structures. In one case elsewhere, two bald eagles were spotted in a planned wind farm area. And sometimes, people don’t want wind turbines in their proverbial backyards, King explained, noting those kinds of sentiments haven’t been heard locally.

“None of our wind farms have had environmental issues,” King added.

But perhaps the best thing going for the project is the natural resource itself.

“We have the best sustained wind in the world,” King explained.

Those winds, he said, are sustained at turbine heights measuring more than 20 mph. He also noted the wind blows more at night than during the daytime.

Once garnered into the grid, wind energy will produce electricity to be inserted into a transmission line, and will be sold to specific off-takers.

Once a wind farm is up and operating, King said, plans are to go public with trading.

“It’s getting ready to start snapping and popping in the Panhandle,” King said.

As a guest who sat in on the update at the Payne home, local business owner Teresa King expressed her support on the future wind project in Plainview.

“We need some positive news,” she said.

Area institutions of higher learning, Curtis King said, already are gearing up to teach an 18-month certification course for those hired to operate the wind farm. Those schools include Texas Tech, South Plains College, Amarillo College, West Texas A&M and Midland College.